Their
children emigrated to America before them. Bridget in 1840, Mary in
1843, Catherine in 1846, John Jr. in 1847, and Margaret in 1850.

In
approximately 1850 John Thomas Sr. and his wife Mary (Gillispie)
Thomas emigrated to America and were recorded as residents of Joliet,
Illinois. The first record of the family in America is August 1st, 1850 Where John Thomas Sr. is listed as a witness at the wedding of William Langdon and Margaret Thomas In Joliet, Will County, Illinois.

August of 1856 they packed up there things and set out in a
covered wagon train to eventually settle in Sarpy County near the Elkhorn
River in the Nebraska Territory.

From 1856-1857 their home was a
"dug-out". In 1857 they moved into a log cabin/house. In 1858, Mary
(Gillispie) Thomas passed away. John Thomas Sr. then donated the land for the start of the Thomas Calvary Cemetery. John Thomas Sr. died in 1862 at the age of 81 and was buried in Thomas Cemetery next to his wife.